To expand on that, learning with cheap gear will allow you to know what you're looking for when you decide to upgrade. I did alright with my D3300, but if I had known then what I do now, I probably could have done better if I had only known about the other factors to be considered.

Posted by DescentOnARopeTo expand on that, learning with cheap gear will allow you to know what you're looking for when you decide to upgrade. I did alright with my D3300, but if I had known then what I do now, I probably could have done better if I had only known about the other factors to be considered.

Really until you do your homework, learn as much as possibly about the gear and shoot with it extensively you won't know it's true capabilities.

Going cheap on glass comes back to haunt you with crappy bokeh, flaring, slow/bad AF locks, chromatic/barrel distortion, fringing and missed keepers. I never regretted buying any of my L glass.Get good glass the first time if possible... it will last a lifetime if cared for.

I just bought a Nikon 1 J1 kit NEARLY NEW in it's original box at a moving sale. Owner said she bought it for vacations, but then the recession hit and her hours got cut, so she doesn't use it any more. Used it twice. Had to sell to get more money for their move. They LITERALLY had a uhaul in the driveway that they were loading with the things they were taking, and several plastic tables on the lawn with things they were getting rid of. My mom bought an electric Weed whacker for $10. I paid $50 for the camera kit and got a Sony Camera bag with it for free.

It was a $650 camera when it came out in late 2010 - early 2011.

Gonna take it for a looooooong test run today. First time using a camera with changeable lenses. Hope to find some compatible glass for it soon. The included 10-30mm 3x manual zoom lens is pretty good, but I want more options. <3

Posted by gr8fzy1Gonna take it for a looooooong test run today. First time using a camera with changeable lenses. Hope to find some compatible glass for it soon. The included 10-30mm 3x manual zoom lens is pretty good, but I want more options. <3

Great find man! Enjoy that camera. Plenty of people out there taking awesome shots using less.

Sorry if this has been mentioned already, but to elaborate/reiterate on what others have said, get a cheap camera body - especially if you're just starting out, but buy the nicest lenses you can afford. For one thing, camera bodies become outdated rather quickly, but a lens will last you a lifetime. Also, they retain their value if you ever decide to sell them or you just don't like the lens! Camera brands are like politics and religion; you'll hear people swear by one of them and rarely will a group of photographers agree on what is "the best" in terms of brand. Get a Nikon, Canon, or even a Sony and you can't go wrong. All of the reputable brands make great cameras. If you do your research, you'll be happy with your choice. Go with what makes you makes you feel warm and tingly inside.

I have two Cannons and they are absolutely incredible. Ive tried out Kodak and sony before but my Cannon has always taken the best photos and been the easiest to use. Super easy to buy parts and lenses for aswell!

Forgot about that last part... Adding to Saturn_Sayerz's comment, lenses for Canon are cheaper than those for Nikon (at least on AliExpress so Canon may be better if you intend to get loads of prime lenses and whatnot.

The dynamic range on Canon bodies are meh unless they've changed recently. I don't remember which brand was which ways but you can shim a lens out but you can't adapt a lens that needs to go in deeper into the body.